Assighob to the baytow engineering- i



1,47%,18]; .J. H. HUNT IGNITION CONTROLLER Fil ed Sepc. 27, 1918 ?atented den. l i924.

. em a lytllivddl JOHN H. HUBZ'T, OF DAY'lDN, OHIO, ASSIGNQR TO THE DAYTON ENGINEERING 33.38M- TORIES GDMPANY, A CQRPOEA'JTION DE OHIO.

IGNITION GQHTROLLER.

Application filed September 27, 1918. Serial No. 255,913.

trolling the ignition systems of internal combustion engines, and has for one of its objects a provision of means for temporarily disabling the ignition apparatus so as to permit coasting of the engine. while the vehicle propelled by the engine is moving.

More particirhrrly, it is an object of the invention to provide controlling devices for ignition systems of internal-combustion engines used in airplanes, in such a manner that the aviator can with one hand direct the course of the airplane while in flight or in motion on the ground, and at the same time disable the ignition apparatus temporarily so that the engine may coast. As a means of carrying out this *object the ban die of control lever, sometimesqirnown as the joy stick, and used for moving the elevators and ailerons, is provided with a switch which is conveniently located thereon. This s itch is adapted when manually operated, to disable temporarily the ignition apparatus. In this manner it is possible for the aviator, with one hand to move the control lever and at the same time operate the switch with the same hand.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

9 In the drawings Fig. 1 is a wiring dia ram showing electrical connections incluc ed in the present invention.

i 2 is an end view of the switch in cluded in the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 of the switch and shows also a fragmentary sectional view of the control lever in which the switch is located, and,

Fig. i is a section of a fragmentary side view of the fuselage of an airplane showing the relative location of the aviators seat and the control lever provided'with a switch for controlling the ignition.

listening to the drawings, 20 refers to a V-type en ine, shown diagrammatically, and 21 and 22 are ignition timing devices which are mechanically connected to the engineby suitable gearing, not shown, and which provide for the intermittent making and breaking of the curent used for ignition purposes. 23 and 24 are the primary are the secondary windings of the ignition coils which cooperate with windings 23 and. 24, respectively. The secondary windings 25 and 26 are connected in a suitable manner with the distributors 27 and 28 which are constructed and. arranged to distribute the sparking impulses of the various spark plugs of the engine, which are not shown. Condensers 35 and 38 are connected in parallel with timers 21 and 22, respectively.

30 is a generator adapted to be driven by the engine by means of suitable mechanical connections, not shown, and 31 is a storage battery or other suitable source of current. 32 and 33 are switches by means of which the generator or the battery, or both. may be connected to the ignition coils for supplying current for ignition purposes.

T he operation of this part of the device will be apparent from diagram shown in Fig. 1. The switches 82 and 33 being closed and circuit beingcompleted tl'irongh the timers 21 and 22. the coils 23 and 2% will be energized by the current passing therethrough. When ever the primary circuit is broken in the timers 21 and 22, sparking inpulses will be induced in the secondary windings 25 and 26, and will be distributed by distributors 27 and 28 in order to supply the engine with ignition at the proper time.

llhere the ignition described is used on an airplane the switches 32 and 33 are usually located on the instrument board or on some other relatively stationarypart of the airplane: Therefore. it it should be necessary to permanently disable the ignition apparatus, as when the engine comes to rest on the ground, the aviator will reach forward from his seat and open the switches 32 and 33. But during flight it may be desirable to disable temporarily the ignition apparatus so that the engine will not tire and will coast. It is desirable to acoc mplish this result by some manually operated device which can be operated by the aviator by using the same hand which operates windings of ignition coils, and 25 and 26 control lever for controlling the elevator and ailerons. v

As a practical embodiment of such a device, the handle of the control lever 40, see Fig. 4, has been provided with a switchlocated in the upper end thereof, said switch being designated as a whole by numeral 41.

,The control lever 40 which is generally. tubular in form is recessed at the upper end to provide a mounting for the switch 41. This recess extends as far as the ledge 42, see Fig. 3.

The switch 41 comprises a cup shaped member 43 having an external diametersuch as to permit the switch to fit snugly Within the end of the handle of lever 40. The member 43 is provided with a flange 44 and is formed so as to provide a cover for the upper end of the lever 40, in order to present a neat appearance. The screws 45 passing through the lever 40 secure the member 43 in position. Member 43 is provided with a recess 46 in which is positioned a spring 47. This spring 4? bears at one end against 43, and at the outer end against the button 48 which is mounted upon a plunger 49. This plunger 49 pro jects into the cup shaped member 43 and carries on its inner end a movable contact 50.

Secured upon the inner end of the member 43, is base member 51 preferably made of insulating material. The base 51 carries posts 52, 53 and 54, made of conducting material. These posts are provided at one end with nuts 55 by means of which wires 56, 57 and 58 are connected to the posts 52, 53 and 54 respectively;

The posts 52, 53 and 54 project into the cup shaped member 43, and the inner or head ends thereof are so related as to be simultaneously engaged" by the movable contact 50. The posts 52 and 53 are each provided with an insulating portion 59 upon which is" mounted a resistance element 60. This resistance element 60' is connected in series between the nut and the inner or head end of each of the posts 52 and 53.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the wiresf56and 5? connect the posts 52 and 53 respectively, withthe primary ignition coils 23 and 24, respectively, at points between said coils and their respective ignition timers 21 and 22. The wire 58 makes a connection from the post 54 to ground, which is usually the frame-of the engine 20. Use is made of the tubular construction of the lever 40 as a casing for the wires 56, 57 and 58, which lead out from the lower end of the lever 40,see Fig. 4, and are connected in a suitablemanner at the locations described.

Assuming that the engine is self-opera tive and the switches 32 and 33 closed, and that it is desired to coast, while the hand of the operator is u on the control lever 40 controlling the flig t ofthe airplane, the" aviator moves his fin or to the button 48 and presses it. inwar y. .Then,when the timer contacts are opened, the primary circuit will not be broken sincefcurrent from the generator 30 may find its way back through wires 56 and 57, resistances 60 and ground connection 58. By reason of the connection of resistance elements 60 in parallel with condensers 35 and 36, the usual action of the condensers is hindered to such'an eiitent, that when the timer contacts open, sparking impulses will be obtained which are insuilicient for ignition purposes.

The resistances 60 also prevent undue dis charge of the battery when the switch 4i is operated.

' When it is desired to a sin cause the engine to be self-operative, e button 48 is released and the ignition System will become operative to fire the engine in 'the usual manner.

When the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that other forms might beadopted, all within the scope of the claims which follow:

1. In an automotive vehicle havin an internal-combustion engine, the com ination of a member for controlling the direction 01 movement of the vehicle; a main. ignition circuit for the engine, including a source of direct current, an ignition cell, a timer.

to limit the passe e of curcombustion engine and a member movable to control movements of the airplane, the combination of a main ignition circuit for the engine including a source of direct current, an ignition coil and a. timer]; anauxiliary circuit operating'while the main circuit is intact, for rendering the ignitioninopcrative to fire the engine, and for'limiting the passage of current from the current source;-

and a manually controllable switch in the auxiliary circuit, said switch being mounted on and movable with the said member.

3.111 an airplane having an internalcombustion engine and a hollow joy stick,

the combination 05a main-ignition circuit,

for the engine including a current source, an ignition coil, a timer and circuit conned tions therebetweenj and an auxiliary circuit for rendering said main circuit i'nopera tive to roduce ignition, said-circuit including a unitary switch mechanism mounted in the joy stick and provided with a resistance Mil circuit through eiernent,terminal s connected in a normally open shunt with the timer, and manually operable means for completing the shunt the terminals and resistance unit.

4. In a device of the kind described, the combination with an airplane steering control lever of hollow construction; of a switch comprising a cup shaped bodypor-,

tion adapted to fit into'the upper end of the control lever and to form a closure for said end an end portion cooperating with the m with a ground connection,

body portion; contact posts mounted on the end portion, one of the posts being provided and other of the posts being provided with resistance eleto cooperate with the posts; an ignition system for the airplane engine; and conductors leading from. the switch down through the tubular steering control lever and connected with the ignition system whereby, when the manually controlled movable contact is operated the ignition system will be rendered inoperativ In testimony whereof I afiix If? signature.

. JOHN HUNT.

Witnesses:

J. U. MCDONALD,

C. H. Bum. 

